Strucà – Olive Oil Panettone

Gifts for Christmas Giving #1

 

Struca-Olive Oil Panettone

 

All through December big hatbox-shaped loaves of Italy’s classic Panettone make appearances on Italian tables everywhere. The sweet yeasted bread, packed with dried fruits, chocolates, chestnuts, or other sweet treats – even cream – is a classic Christmas tradition. Guests often arrive with one, and Bart and I buy them by the dozen to give as Christmas gifts. Last week I was looking at the array on the internet when I came across Strucà, a variant of Panettone made with extra virgin olive oil. No butter. No dairy. No problem. This is not your nonna’s Panettone. I had to buy one. See, the deal with me is I am like a woman in a jewelry store, or the proverbial kid in a candy store. When I am in a food hall, I just can’t leave empty-handed.

The Strucà arrived swaddled in heavy white paper printed with olives. It was tied up in a green and gold ribbon emblazoned with the initial F for the bakers of the Pasticceria Filippi.

 

Struca - Olive Oil Panettone

 

Inside was a 9X4 rectangular loaf in a paper baker. The moment I opened the plastic inner wrapper I smelled the bread, rich with the scent of olive oil and redolent of sweet honey, orange essence, and Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans. Seduction by food. Again.

 

Struca - Olive Oil Panettone

 

The rich, cake-like bread is made with the family’s forty-year-old starter and enriched with free-range eggs. Its rich golden interior is studded with chunks of succulent candied Calabrian orange peel. The peel has no bitter or sharp notes, a result of a weeks long manufacturing process that involves drying in open-air vats. The texture of this cake-like bread is light, yet rich, and wonderfully moist, not the least bit dry, with an even crumb, just as I’d expect from an olive oil cake. About the olive oil – it’s a blend of various olives grown in southeastern Sicily’s Iblei Mountains, right where some of my very favorite oils come from. Little wonder this is so good.

Pasticciera Filippi uses acacia honey to sweeten the Strucà. This light, clear honey has a particularly mild and delicate taste and remarkable sweetening power. It is known for producing pleasingly soft baked goods, and it certainly does the job here, yielding a soft bread with whose fruity and floral notes marry perfectly with the candied orange zest.

The beautifully browned top is sprinkled with crunchy pearl sugar and generously dotted with sweet, fragrant almonds. The combination of natural yeast starter, extra virgin olive oil, and honey impart remarkable keeping quality to the Strucà.

 

Struca-Olive Oil Panettone

 

Strucà is great plain, but to really bring it to life and bring focus to the olive oil, warm the bread for a few minutes in a 350 degree F. oven. Enjoy it with Prosecco, Amaretto, coffee, or tea. For a luscious snack, toast a thick piece and top it with a knob of soft Vermont cultured butter. The bread’s structure makes it perfect for soaking, and that means French Toast and bread puddings. For any lover of Panettone or extra virgin olive oil, this will make a most welcome Christmas gift.

Filippi Strucà is available from Market Hall Foods, $24.00 per loaf plus shipping.

Today, Monday, December 1, 2014 Market Hall Foods is offering 20% off orders of $75 or more with code EAT14

 

Struca-Olive Oil Panettone

 

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I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.

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50 Comments

  1. Ping from Bam's Kitchen:

    That photo with the butter melting stole my heart. I can’t wait to look for this products at the markets, sounds lovely. Have a super holiday season

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Bam,

      I hope you can find it in your part of the world! You will flip for it. It takes the Italian classic to another level entirely! Are you getting ready for Christmas?

  2. Ping from Anthony Fama:

    What can I say but YUM

  3. Ping from Hannah:

    Such a lovely golden loaf! I’ve only seen terribly dry, old panettone sold in the stores around here, but this is what it should really look like. Your review is so vibrant, I can practically taste it right now… I simply must try making my own this year, based on your inspiring description!

    • Ping from Adri:

      Ciao Hannah,

      There are a lot of mediocre products out there. That is for certain. Check out Market Hall Foods. They have a wide selection of excellent ones. For a superior recipe for homemade, look to Jim Lahey’s version that ran in Gourmet years ago. Hands down, his is the best. Should you be unable to find it,let me know, and I will forward it to you. Alla prossima!

  4. Ping from Rachel @ Bakerita:

    This looks absolutely amazing, especially toasted up with that melted butter! Delicious!

  5. Ping from nancy at good food matters:

    I was just thinking today that I needed to visit your site for holiday cookie ideas and BOOM here is this post, which has me astonished–don’t know which is more compelling, the images of the Struca or your words describing it. wonderful.

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Nancy,

      I am glad this caught your eye. I am utterly taken with it, but i bet you could tell that! I hope you find some cookies you like here. Let the Christmas baking begin!

  6. Ping from Nancy Harmon Jenkins:

    Okay, enough with the buying, now it’s time to figure out the recipe! Honestly, it sounds marvelous and better than most of the panettone that’s available. Pricewise, I guess it’s in the same ballpark. But I’m really challenged to reproduce it–I have never heard of struca in Italy, but that doesn’t mean a thing. After 40 years I’m only beginning to scratch the surface. Thank you for this, Adri!

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Nancy,

      Funny, that’s what my husband said “Enough with the buying already.” So are we going to have to form a committee to reproduce this baby? The best panettone recipe I have ever found is Jim Lahey’s. I need to pull it out and look at it as a jumping off point. This is too good to ignore. I like hearing you say that there is always more to learn. It’s inspiring. Thanks for stopping by, amica. Alla prossima!

  7. Ping from John@Kitchen Riffs:

    Seduction by food is the story of my life! This looks so terrific — I’ve had plenty of Panettone, but never anything like this. Definitely will be on the lookout for this! Fun post — thanks.

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi John,

      The pleasure is mine entirely. I hope you can find some Strucà near you. It really is delicious. Plus you can come up with a nice little cocktail to imbibe along with…

  8. Ping from David:

    Looks wonderful, Adri! I have not heard of this before, and absolutely love the idea of buttering a bread made with olive oil – two of my favorite food groups together!

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi David,

      Let me correct myself, I misread and thought you said you had heard of this. It would seem that this would then be the winner of “Stump the foodies.” Non one, but no one had heard of this before. Some knew the baker, Pasticceria Filippi, but Struca, the rectangular shape was a new one to us all. I was completely intrigued. And you are so right about those two favorite food groups! I hope you are getting into the swing of things for the holidays. Alla prossima!

  9. Ping from Peggy Gilbey McMackin:

    Hi Adri, Thanks for sharing the Struca. It looks amazingingly delicious, and your photography is so beautiful! I love Panettone over the holidays, so I hope to identify this alternative version of Struca along my travels and check it out this season. Thanks for sharing!

  10. Ping from Laney (Ortensia Blu):

    What a great find Adri! And yes, we’re now all waiting for you to reproduce the recipe. Aside from the flavor, the olive oil would for sure take some of the guilt factor out of eating so much panettone…and love the snowflakes on your site:)

    • Ping from Adri:

      Ciao Laney,

      Thanks, Laney. You would just love this. It is rich and delicious. And indeed I have begun thinking about reproducing this, as has Nancy Harmon Jenkins. I’m with you on the guilt factor too. I’m glad you like the snowflakes. The holidays are here!

  11. Ping from Liz:

    What a perfect gift! A gorgeous loaf that would thrill any recipient!!

  12. Ping from Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella:

    Oh I love pannetone and really want to make on this year for Christmas! 😀 I have some pearl sugar too which I’ll use to decorate it now that I’ve seen it here. Thanks Adri!

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Lorraine,

      Panettone really is such a treat, and I love that we really only see it at this time of year. The pearl sugar looks nice, and adds a really nice flavor note to the topping. Enjoy your holiday baking!

  13. Ping from Chiara:

    I will try to find it Adri, is a beautiful variant to panettone ! A warm hug

  14. Ping from Ciao Chow Linda:

    Adri – I have never heard of strucà either, but found something called “struccolo” in a cookbook of Triestine cooking given to me by Chiara of La Voglia Matta when I was in Trieste this summer. It sounds very similar and the dough is made with olive oil. I wonder if Chiara can illuminate us a little more on this? I also have a friend from the region who lives in Princeton and will ask her next time I see her. The photo of the buttered slice has me hungering for some right now.

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Linda,

      This seems to be new to everyone, but you have provided an interesting clue. I think that the name Struca is Slavic in origin, and thus your Triestine connection makes sense. You would just flip for this. It is divine. Let the baking begin!

  15. Ping from Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti:

    What a fabulous looking bread/cake, Adri! I’m sure the olive oil and dried Calabrian orange zest must give it a very delicious and unique taste. The presentation is beautiful! I must order almost every Italian product online now, as delicacies such as these are hard to come by in my area of Colorado!

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Pat,

      You would love this, and since you are now ordering exclusively online, you can add one to your order! With all that is available online, great Italian food is just a click away.I hope your holiday preparations are well under way. Alla prossima, amica!

  16. Ping from Donalyn@TheCreeksideCook:

    I love Panettone & often bake them from scratch, but I’ve never had one with olive oil. I love olive oil cakes though, so I am betting this one is wonderful!

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Donalyn,

      The notion of olive oil in panettone was new to me also. It really is delicious. I hope you get to taste some. I bet you will love it. It’s the holiday season. Let the baking begin!

  17. Ping from marcela:

    oh wow! sooo yummy! I think I fell in love 😉 Toasted up with melted butter looks amazing!

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Marcela,

      That butter shot really got to me too! The olive oil was so good in this, and it made particularly good toast. I hope you have an opportunity to try some. Happy holidays to you!

  18. Ping from Amy @ Fearless Homemaker:

    I love love love panettone! I had never eaten it until I was in college, and I had some Italian friends that introduced me to it. It is now one of my favorite holiday treats and I always treat myself to some (either from the Italian market in town or handmade by one of my friends) every year. This one looks beautiful + wonderful!

  19. Ping from Sippitysup:

    I’ll admit I’ve gotten some bad versions of this gifted to me in the past. I can’t tell you how much your knowledgeable rec mean this time of year. GREG

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Greg,

      Oh, but I have had some pretty awful stuff too. This company, however, produces the real deal, and the fact that is is made with olive oil makes it even more remarkable. Thank you for the vote of confidence, and the holiday celebration begin!

  20. Ping from janie:

    I’m not usually a huge panettone fan, but this looks so good.Thanks too for the link to Market Hall Foods.

    • Ping from Adri:

      Hi Janie,

      It is a complete pleasure to feature this. I had no idea that Panettone was ever made with olive oil. (The tern struca refers to teh rectangular shape.) This is really divine, and Market Hall Foods is a veritable treasure trove. I hope you are enjoying your holiday preparations!

  21. Ping from Angie@Angie's Recipes:

    I love how soft and beautiful your panettone looks! Excellent, Adri.

  22. Ping from Cathy at Wives with Knives:

    What a perfect gift for those special people on our holiday list. This lovely bread would be a wonderful addition to any
    Christmas menu. I bet it makes the best toast.

    • Ping from Adri:

      HI Cathy,

      It really is a lovely gift. I think you’d be the favored guest were you to present the hostess with a loaf of this. Indeed it made the most sublime toast imagineable. I hope your Christmas preparations are well under way!

  23. Ping from Pam:

    Beautiful and festive for the holiday season! This would be a great hostess gift too!

  24. Ping from Emilie@TheCleverCarrot:

    I m drooling. I’ve never heard of panettone with olive oil- I would’ve bought one too! Ok, so must try this and that rapida pasta and my world will be complete. Thank you darling! xo

  25. Ping from Dina:

    Panetone is the best invention yet coming out of Italy. None of them is too large for me to devour all by myself. I have never made one myself though. I don’t know if I have had one made with olive oil. Sound delicious.

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